Sri Lankan UFOs neither Mars nor Flintstones?

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On December 14, 2012, the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror reported how that Southeast Asian country’s Medical Research Institute is advising witnesses observing the island republic’s recently reported UFO phenomena to search surrounding areas for metal and rock that “they think would have fallen off” the UFOs. In a story dated Dec. 12, 2012, Dubai’s Emirates 24/7 narrated how a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) spokesperson cited an astronomer’s reported conclusion that observations of the planet Mars were behind claims of luminous objects in the skies.

Recordings of what appear to be shimmering UFOs were shown by Newsfirst Sri Lanka television in a video dated Dec. 11, 2012. None of the civilian videographers whose work is featured in the newscast appear to have achieved sharp focus while using their cellular telephone cameras. The unfocussed nature that characterizes most of these images only adds to the difficulty in determining their true identity.

Note to Newsfirst: Mixing images of the sun obscured by clouds interspersed with the other footage while a reporter’s narrative describes “unidentified lights” only serves to further compound the confusing nature of the television presentation.

Known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean," the tidings of Sri Lanka’s recorded history reportedly span a period of three thousand years. One of the earliest literary records of this “nation of smiling people” appears in the Sanskrit epic “Ramayana,” first reproduced as written text an estimated 2500 years ago. The poem’s 24,000 verses explore how a Lankan king named Ravana used a flying machine (Dandu Monara or “Flying Peacock”) to abduct Sita, wife of Rama, who journeys to Lanka from his northern Indian home in a bid for her safe return.

While no testimony of abductions by extraterrestrials accompanied the videos of luminous UFOs shown by Newsfirst, what the images do reveal are bright orb-shaped objects (one of which appears to emit a beam of red light) in both twilight and starlight conditions.

However, it is what the videos do not show that is perhaps most revealing, in light of claims from SLAF media spokesperson Wing Commander Shiras Jalaldeen who reportedly told Emirates 24/7 how a senior lecturer in Physics at the University of Colombo Sri Lanka was concerned about witnesses errantly submitting UFO reports when the source of the mystery was light from the planet Mars.

This is just one of the top UFO news stories covered on this morning’s edition of UFOAM, a live broadcast over YouTube that has also featured previous top-ranked coverage of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s recent comments on ETs, revealing how those remarks followed in the wake of an official disclosure by a government-tasked military team that took place in 1997.

UFOAM is a new online public UFO news forum providing access to informed discussions, opportunities to receive feedback and answers to questions concerning one of the world's most intriguing subjects: the mystery of UFO phenomena. Host and moderator Jon Kelly is joined by special guests including veteran experiencers, authors and videographers who drop by to share their latest insights in what promises to be a lively half hour event every weekday at 7 a.m. PST, 10 a.m. EDT and 3 p.m. GMT.

Island Investigator

Chandana Jayaratne, consultant to the Astronomy and Space Applications division of the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies, was cited by an SLAF spokesperson in a story that appeared on Dubai’s Emirates 24/7 website as the source of a claim that “lights seen by people emanated from Mars as a result of it orbiting closer to the earth.”

In an earlier story about local UFO sightings dated July 7, 2002, the physicist reportedly told Sri Lanka’s Sunday Observer how “one cannot ignore these incidents as fantasy but needs a thorough investigation,” adding how "These rural folk who have not even seen a sketch of an extra-terrestrial spaceship, cannot fabricate a story. Some strange thing is really happening in the area"”

Known locally as an ardent proponent of UFO investigations into reports of sightings, Chandana Jayaratne has reportedly played a role in setting up a UFO reporting hotline at the University of Colombo while maintaining good relations with the Sri Lanka UFO Research Association as well.

Impossible Planet?

The apparent magnitude or relative maximum brightness of the planet Mars as seen from Earth is rated by scientific tables at -3 with a minimum brightness of +1.6 when in conjunction with the Sun (whose apparent magnitude is -27). Astronomy magazine online shows an image of the planet Mars recorded on March 22, 2012 using a Blackberry camera mounted to the eyepiece of an Orion 8" Dobsonian reflector telescope.

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In last month’s column I examined various clichés, tropes and often-repeated mantras, debunking a few myths and misconceptions, and probably upsetting a few people in the die-hard debunker and true believer camps alike. Continues here. Next column is April 1, 2015!

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